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Smart Vertical Farming Facilities

We are proud to house state-of-the-art vertical farming facilities, including an advanced Shipping Container Farm, designed to foster innovation and research in sustainable agriculture. Vertical farming is a method of growing crops indoors in stacked layers or vertically inclined surfaces, often under controlled environmental conditions. With the global population growing and arable land shrinking, innovations like vertical farming are essential for ensuring food security and reducing the environmental impact of agriculture.

Our facilities

LED Grow Lights

Customisable light wavelengths for tailoring light recipes to maximise plant growth and flavour. These LED grow lights provide precise control over light intensity, spectrum, and photoperiod, allowing researchers to optimise conditions for different plant species and growth stages. Their energy-efficient design ensures sustainable operation while enhancing photosynthesis and nutrient uptake in a controlled environment.

IoT Monitoring Systems

Sensors for real-time data collection on temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, and light intensity. These IoT monitoring systems enable continuous tracking of environmental conditions, ensuring optimal growth parameters for plants. The collected data is transmitted to a central platform, where it can be analysed, visualised, and used for automated control adjustments. This technology enhances precision agriculture by providing insights for improved decision-making, resource efficiency, and crop health management.

Automated Nutrient Delivery

Precise control of nutrient levels tailored to each crop's needs ensuring optimal plant growth, health, and yield. The system continuously monitors essential parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and nutrient concentration, making real-time adjustments to maintain ideal conditions. This automation reduces human error, conserves resources, and enhances overall efficiency in controlled environment agriculture.

PlantEye Scanner

Advanced imaging to measure plant morphology, growth rates, and health metrics, the PlantEye Scanner is a high-throughput 3D scanning system designed for precise plant phenotyping. It captures structural and spectral data, enabling researchers to analyse traits like leaf area, plant height, and biomass development. By integrating multispectral imaging, it supports non-destructive monitoring of plant responses under varying environmental conditions.

Climate Control Software

Our Shipping Container Farm is a climate-controlled facility equipped with fully integrated systems to regulate temperature, humidity, and ventilation. It supports the cultivation of a diverse range of crops, including herbs, leafy greens, and experimental varieties for medicinal or nutraceutical applications.

Our research

Our vertical farming facilities serve as a hub for teaching, research, and innovation, focusing on:

  • Sustainable food production: Exploring ways to reduce water, energy, and land use while increasing crop yields.
  • Urban agriculture solutions: Developing strategies to grow food locally in urban spaces, reducing transportation emissions.
  • Plant science research: Investigating the impact of light, nutrients, and environmental factors on plant growth and health.

NTU’s vertical farming research contributes directly to sustainable development goals, including zero hunger and climate action. With the farm using 95% less water than traditional farming methods, it makes it highly resource efficient.

Community Impact: Supporting Local Food Banks

At NTU, we are also proud to contribute to the community by supporting food-bank charities. The fresh, ready-to-harvest vegetables grown in our vertical farming facilities are regularly donated to local food banks. This initiative helps combat food insecurity in our community, demonstrating how innovation in agriculture can also serve a vital social purpose.

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Volunteering

Our students play an active role in utilising the vertical farming facilities, in particular the students who are undertaking the MSc and MRes in Smart Agriculture.

  • Hands-on learning: Students engage in real-world experiments, testing different variables like light intensity, nutrient composition, and crop varieties.
  • Research projects: From improving crop yields to designing new growing systems, students have opportunities to explore cutting-edge ideas.
  • Data analysis: Students use specialised software to analyse plant growth data and optimise conditions for better outcomes.
  • Innovation and problem-solving: Collaborating on sustainable solutions to challenges like food security and resource management.

See our facilities in use

Collaboration opportunities

Whether you’re a student interested in learning more, a researcher exploring collaborative projects, or an industry partner looking to advance sustainable agriculture, NTU’s vertical farming facilities are open for opportunities to innovate and grow together. Contact Gadelhag Mohmed or Bahar Aciksoz for more information on collaboration opportunities.

Find out more about our innovative solutions in sustainable food production.